1. What are a few random facts about The Victoria in My Head that no one knows about yet?
This book was initially set in the 1990s until my agent (wisely) suggested that I shift to the present since the themes are still relatable to teens today. So, landlines were changed to cell phones, mix CDs to playlists, etc. Though I did keep a few 90s references in, such as some of the songs on the playlist and Vi’s Nirvana t-shirt mentioned in the book’s opening chapters.
This fact also serves as an embarrassing confession: I first had the idea for Strand’s character after seeing Harry Styles in One Direction’s “Best Song Ever” video. That led me down a rabbit hole of past musical heartthrobs like Mick Jagger, Lenny Kravitz, Kurt Cobain, and many, many others. I thought about how inaccessible and larger-than-life they feel. Then I thought about what a relationship between a rock star sex god and a shy, inexperienced girl suffering from stage fright would look like. I found that dynamic really interesting and wanted to explore the idea of a crush as a catalyst for changing your life.
My last fact is that Victoria is not an autobiographical character, but we share a few real-life similarities. I was on the cross-country and track teams in high school solely to put those activities on my college application. I also participated in a quinceañera and had a blast doing it, although sadly I didn’t have a hottie like Strand as a partner.
2. If you had to only listen to ONE song for the rest of your writing days, which one would you pick?
Oh my god, this is the most difficult question I’ve ever been asked.
When I write, I listen to a lot of soft music that feels emotionally resonant but won’t get too distracting. One of my go-to artists is a band called Beach House. Their genre is technically classified as “dream pop,” which is a pretty apt description since the music puts me in that helpful dreamy writer’s headspace. Really, any Beach House song will work, but one of my current favorites is “Space Song” from their album Depression Cherry. Then again, if you ask me this question a couple of weeks from now, I might choose a completely different artist/song. I’m too fickle to commit to one!
3. What’s one thing that you deeply desire for readers to get from The Victoria in My Head?
At its core, this is a book for daydreamers who might lack the courage to pursue their own happiness. Victoria is a girl who is caught between others’ expectations and her own ideas about what will fulfill her. Looking back on my teenage years, i remember many a nervous breakdown because it felt like I was on the precipice of some big, scary life-changing decisions. I felt a certain type of path was being prescribed for me, and at times that idea was suffocating. In response, I retreated inside my imagination to escape the pressures of reality. I hope readers of this book can share comfort in the fact that life isn’t decided for us, that it’s okay to be unsure about the future. Most importantly, I hope this book will motivate readers to chase the passions that get us through the day.
…Top 5 Playlist Songs…
Janelle Milanes is originally from Miami, FL and received her BA in English Literature from Davidson College. A lifelong YA addict, she moved to New York for her first job as a children’s literature associate at Simon & Schuster. For the past five years, Janelle has worked as a teacher and librarian throughout the New York City area. Her first novel reflects many of her own experiences growing up as a second-generation Latina in America.Janelle currently lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their two cats. Her favorite Disney princess is Belle, since she was also a big book nerd.
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